COMMENTARY: As we mark the 15th anniversary of the attacks on New York City and Washington, it is worth also remembering that the timing of the attacks was part of the jihadists’ plans.

FATHER DWIGHT LONGENECKER

Mark Twain is supposed to have said, “History doesn’t repeat itself, but it echoes.” As Americans commemorate the 15th anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks on New York City and Washington, it is worth also remembering that the timing of the attacks on that particular date was part of the jihadists’ plans.

Westerners often forget that the battle with militant Islam has been going on for centuries. While the Islamic religion began in the seventh century as a peaceful, spiritual movement, it soon developed a militant dimension, as the Prophet Muhammad began using military force, first in self-defense and then for conquest. The conquests continued as the Muslim forces pressed westward into Spain and Eastern Europe. At the end of Islam’s first century, the religion had spread from Spain to India.

The Sept. 11 date is significant for jihadists because Islamic forces suffered a major defeat Sept. 11-12, 1683, at the Battle of Vienna. Vienna was the gateway to the rest of Europe, and victory at Vienna meant the Islamic forces could sweep through the rest of Europe, defeating Christianity once and for all. The Turkish army arrived at Vienna on July 14. The Muslims laid siege to the city and demanded that the citizens surrender, renounce Christianity, convert to Islam or pay the required tax of all conquered people. The Islamic forces besieged Vienna for months, while the Christian forces were in disarray and disagreement.

Vastly outnumbered, Vienna’s defenders created an open space around the city walls so the Muslim attackers would be exposed. Meanwhile, the Muslims cut off all supplies, pounded the city with artillery and began digging tunnels beneath the walls. By late summer, Catholic King Jan Sobieski of Poland rallied his troops and headed south. Grand Vizier Kara Mustafa began the final attack on Sept. 11 and celebrated what he knew would be victory by slaughtering 30,000 Christian prisoners.

The Viennese forces fought off the Muslims on Sept. 11 while the armies of Emperor Charles V and Charles of Lorraine began to join in the attack. Muslim mines intended to destroy the walls were located and defused by Viennese soldiers. Meanwhile, King Sobieski’s famous cavalry — the Flying Hussars — were still on their way. Finally, in the late afternoon of Sept. 12, the Polish king ordered the cavalry to attack in four groups, three Polish and one from the Holy Roman Empire: 18,000 horsemen charged down from the hills; it was the largest cavalry charge in history.

The charge broke the lines of the Ottomans and went for Mustafa’s command center. The arrival of the cavalry turned the tide of battle, sending the Muslim Turks into a massive retreat. Within a few hours after King Sobieski’s heroic charge, the Christian forces had won the battle and saved Vienna. Vienna was crucial to world history, because if the Muslim forces had conquered Europe, they would also have controlled the gateway to the New World, and the Americas would have been colonized by Muslims instead of Christians.

However, the Battle of Vienna is not the only important date in the ongoing Muslim-Christian conflict. Just over a hundred years earlier, in May of 1565, a huge armada from the Islamic Ottoman Empire arrived on the shores of the island of Malta in the Mediterranean. Like Vienna, Malta was a stepping stone to the rest of Europe. The little island was defended by the Catholic Knights of Malta, who were vastly outnumbered. The battle raged for months, with the Muslims keeping the island under siege. In the end, the defenders repelled the huge Ottoman attack, and it was on Sept. 11, 1565, that the Muslims returned to their ships and fled.

Two other events in European history marked a Muslim defeat on Sept. 11. For centuries Spain had been dominated by Islam, but in April 1609, King Philip II signed a decree commanding that Muslims be expelled from Spain. A fleet of ships was built to deport them. On Sept. 11, 1609, the decree was promulgated — and over the next years, hundreds of thousands of Muslims were expelled.

Finally, one year after the Battle of Vienna, the Muslim forces were routed again. In 1684, the forces of the Holy League defeated Sultan Mustafa II and the Ottoman army at the Zenta River in present-day Serbia. The Grand Vizier was killed, the Ottoman artillery was lost, and an estimated 30,000 Turkish soldiers were killed or drowned. The Sultan was forced to surrender, and the subsequent Treaty of Karlowitz ceded huge tracts of land in Eastern Europe back to the Catholic House of Hapsburg.

It is politically correct to ignore the religious dimension to world affairs, but it is also naive. We should affirm that not all Muslims are warlike and intent on destroying Christianity, but we should also remember that the violent Islamic extremists see history and current affairs as part of a larger, spiritual battle. The jihadists believe Christianity should be destroyed, and they will not stop until they have accomplished their goal.

Sept. 11 should remind us of the battles that have been fought, the victories that have been won and the fact that the spiritual battle against the forces of evil is not only real — it is not over.

Lyle, I do not accept your contention that the U.S. is killing millions in Yemen. We know who masterminded 9/11. Osama Bin Laden. One man inspired and formed a plan to fly airliners into the Trade Center buildings, pentagon, and most likely the Capitol. Killing thousands but not more because of heroic Americans on Flight 93, Quit clouding the issue. Quit looking to blame the U.S. For everything. You sound like you are ripe to commit some kind of atrocity yourself.

The facts are that Islam spread by military conquest. You can try to deny it but it is true. True in every sense of the word.

Catholics did stand up against the Nazis. Thousands died fighting the regime.

If SA is using American built equipment to wage war against Yemen, please blame SA.

Posted by Thomas on Monday, Sep, 12, 2016 5:36 AM (EDT):

Maybe if the West didn’t colonise them, bomb them, assassinate popular leaders, arm fanatics and treat Muslims like sub humans Muslim countries would be democracies rather than theocracies. But then how would the West have secured an energy supply during the past 100 years?

Christians are supposed to be the light of the world. Why are we not making a fair judgement rather than self-serving judgements? The history is plain to see for all who love the truth. I guess this Muslim “savages” need to share the same fate as the New World “savages” or Australian “savages”. The land and resourses we can potentially gain are just fortunate coincidence, right?

Jesus sees everything and he loves infidels too. Therefore we have to treat the way we would want to be treated.

So, Father, Muhammad began as a peaceful man? Hmmmm, Pls cite source for that, pls be specific.
He was peaceful as long as you agreed to follow him.
Who were these enemies that caused Muhammad to use force for self defense “first”. Pls be specific.
He moved from Medina because after three ;years he had but a handful of followers. The Jewish and Christian tribes in the Mecca area became easy targets for “recruits”. He was a pretty good battle tactician.
Why do you say “jihadiststs believe Christianiity should be destroyed”. Sharia law, not jihadists, demands all to submit to Allah or, at best, be forced into Dhiminitude. Your children/grandchildren will live under Dhminitude. Bet on it.
What parts of Sharia law do your friendly neighborhood Islamists not believe in, Father? Or, is Dhminitude just another word for ecumenism? I bet the bishop of Rome thinks so.

Posted by Howard on Sunday, Sep, 11, 2016 1:03 PM (EDT):

The association with the Battle of Vienna seems to be pure conjecture; if any planning documents showing that the date was REALLY a crucial part of the plan, please cite those directly. The conflict between Islam and Christianity has gone on for over a thousand years, so if you take a dart and throw it at a yearly calendar, it is practically certain that the date it falls on marks the anniversary of some important event in that struggle. It is obvious that the targets were symbolic; so far no one has convinced me that the timing was dictated by anything more than convenience.

Posted by MT on Sunday, Sep, 11, 2016 12:59 PM (EDT):

It must also be mentioned that while there are religious overtones in groups jihadist, it is in conjunction with an anti-imperialist reaction that these acts of violence are committed against the west. It would be great folly to forget that the current brand of jihadism was non existent before the USA decided to promote jihad in the Islamic world as a foil to the Soviet Union. Of course it was not taken into account how this could backfire when the Soviet Union collapsed and the US was left to be seen as the imperial overlord.

Posted by Larry Northon on Saturday, Sep, 10, 2016 10:59 AM (EDT):

On September 11, 1941 ground was broken on construction of the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia—of course, one of the targets of the September 11, 2001 attacks.

Posted by lyle on Saturday, Sep, 10, 2016 8:16 AM (EDT):

WE are to fear God, not the terror of man.

The true Catholic/Christian response to 911 was to forgive them and pray for Gods mercy and justice, not to attack Iraq.

for the majority of 911 attackers were from Saudi Arabia, to which the USA and SA work to murder 20 million humans today, the worst crime against humanity in world history…

Inciting fear, bigotry toward the Muslim is a grave mortal sin, defiant to the Catholic teachings, defiant to the Gospel, the Church…

Posted by lyle on Saturday, Sep, 10, 2016 8:10 AM (EDT):

The inciting fear and bigotry toward the Muslim people is an insanity,, ignorance of propaganda, by a Catholic media is an outrage.

To call this news is a bold face lie.
The Majority of the 911 operative were from Saudi Arabia.
Today the United State in conjunction with Saudi Arabia are murdering est 20 million humans in Yemen, with United States manufactured arms.
A crime against humanity double of the German extermination in world war two is now committed by the United States.

If we were alive in Germany as Catholic could we have stood against he slaughter of the people then?

Yet United States Catholics look on to the slaughter of 20 million of the poorest of the poor in Yemen, and support the United States slaughter of 20 million of poor, defenseless people. Insanity, and for NCR to support this murder today, outrageous.

Posted by Will on Saturday, Sep, 10, 2016 7:32 AM (EDT):

Most Americans are unaware of the events in Europe in the 17th century and how very close the Ottoman Empire came to overrunning Europe. After their surge into Europe in the 17th century, the Ottoman Empire went into decline and ceased being such a threat.

Today, we face a new threat, the radical Jihadists who operate in various groups. They murder both Muslims and Christians, often with sickening brutality and you have to wonder if there is not some demonic element to them, given their brutality and nihilism. I would love to hear from some Church Authorities who are experts at demonic possession and activity as to their opinion of the Jihadists.

Posted by avantibev on Friday, Sep, 9, 2016 10:12 PM (EDT):

Refreshing ! I was in despair fearing Fr Rutler & Fr Murray were the only priests who got ISLAMIST JIHAD. Bravo to Fr. Longenecker.

Posted by Tom Byrne on Friday, Sep, 9, 2016 3:37 PM (EDT):

Father:
Thank you for this essay. If all Muslims are not violent, the emergence of violence century after century suggests something deeply disordered in Islamic belief or culture. Just who did talk to Mohammed in that famous cave?

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